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Storytelling in Schools

I now have a number of exciting online storytelling options.
Please contact me for further details.

School child wearing a crown next to Amanda Kane-Smith
Amanda Kane-Smith telling a space story at Westgate School
School children pretending to be sun-beams at Knight's Enham School

I have worked as a storyteller in schools for over 15 years and have a variety of curriculum focused workshops for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Many are suitable for children with Special Educational Needs and can be tailored to ensure all children are able to be involved in the storytelling.

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All my workshops are highly interactive and inclusive. They support language and literacy, creativity, confidence, teamwork and communication skills. 

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I often use multi sensory props and sessions are always visually exciting as well as being fun to join in with. 

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Classic fairytales, folktales, legends and popular books are the inspiration for much of my storytelling in schools. Sessions are linked with the National Curriculum and can be used to enhance curriculum projects or special events like World Book Day.

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All my workshops and sessions can be tailored to suit projects or themes the children are studying within your school.

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I also run Creative Sessions and Play in a Day. These are an exciting choice as they mix simple crafts like mask and puppet making with drama and storytelling. They are great way to encourage reluctant storytellers by creating an inclusive space where the whole class can engage in their own way. 

What schools say:

"I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for all your brilliance yesterday. You were fabulous and the children all had a really great time.

All the feedback has been hugely positive. The level of engagement that you inspired from the children was fantastic and we really appreciate your hard work. You bought a lot of joy to the children whilst at the same time honing their attention and engagement skills;  as well as helping to develop their imagination.

So it’s a BIG Larkrise THANK YOU from us!"

Larkrise School

Wiltshire

One Hour Storytelling Workshops for EYFS and KS1

Young boy howling excitedly
Parachute Play at Hampshire School

Highly interactive and great fun, my one hour storytelling workshops combine music and movement with traditional storytelling and drama to create an energetic and engaging session.

The familiarity of the songs and rhymes help younger children understand the plot and characters and gives them a way into a story which they may struggle to find otherwise. Older children enjoy the physical elements the music gives to the story. Great for reluctant readers!

All of my Workshops are visually exciting and use a wide range of sensory props and musical instruments.

Workshops are based on popular books, classic fairy tales and folk tales.

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For more information and to contact me please click here.

"Thank you so much for your fantastic sessions on World Book Day for us!"

Anton Infant School, Hampshire

Telling Tales Sessions for EYFS, KS1 and KS2

Amanda Kane-Smith performing a pirate story

Traditional Storytelling with a strong emphasis on interaction to make the stories come to life!

My Storytelling style is very physical and visual. 

Stories are interspersed with songs, facts and interactive fun and are engaging for groups both big and small. 

I have a variety of stories from around the World based on Folktales, fairytales, Myths and Legends.

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For more information and to contact me please click here.

Amanda Kane-Smith wearing a turnip hat

"We have had some brilliant role play happening outside today, using the same language and singing the songs you taught them. We will certainly be in touch next time."

Knights Enham School, Hampshire

Play in a Day for KS1 and KS2

Older girl helping a younger girl during improvisation
Child jumping on stage dressed as a hare

PLAY IN A DAY is an exciting workshop for the children as I work with one class for the whole day.

This workshop includes drama and team games, dance, craft and lots of fun rehearsing towards the end of day performance which Parents and Carers can be invited to come and watch.

Children will make masks or character headdresses to wear during the performance.

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For more information and to contact me please click here.

"The workshop was fantastic. Rave reviews from the Head, the teachers and parents."

Camelsdale Primary School, Surrey

Junk Modelling and Creative Storytelling workshops for EYFS and KS1

Junk modelling rabbit
Smiling school girl making a junk model at Twyford Preprep

Junk modelling is recognised as a great way of developing imaginative play. Using junk models as the basis for a storytelling session is a fantastic way of igniting a child's imagination within a story and an ingenious use of this cheap and plentiful resource.

Links with other areas of the curriculum like creative writing, art and science can also be followed up with my training sessions for teachers.

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For more information and to contact me please click here.

"Thank you so much for such a fabulous day! I had brilliant feedback from children and teachers. They all had so much fun!! We have gone junk model crazy in my classroom!!"

Farleigh School, Hampshire

Mask Making and Performance workshops for KS2

Closeup of child wearing homemade mask

Mask making is fun, it is also an excellent way to explore character and movement with children.

This is a half day workshop during which each child will create their own mask based on the workshop theme. They will then explore how to use them in performance through drama games and learn a routine which can be performed at the end.

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For more information and to contact me please click here.

Group of children wearing homemade masks at Testbourne School

"The children and staff really enjoyed your visit. We would definitely like to book some more!"

Twyford School, Hampshire

Merry-go-Round Storytelling workshops are great for Special Events like World Book Day and School Celebrations!

After School
Smiling Children holding a sign
Children dancing with ribbons
James and The Giant Peach performance at Andover College Theatre

After School

drama, craft and performance groups for 6 to 11 year olds 

My after school drama clubs offer a unique introduction into all that goes into putting on a play, from drama and dance, to costume and set making and everything in between. 

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 So, what will we do each week?

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Drama

Each week we play drama games and run fun drama activities as well as exploring different kinds of performance skills. The children will be learning lines, rehearsing and working through scenes as we head towards our show.

Music and Dance

We build up simple dance and movement sequences over the weeks.

The children also learn simple songs and dance routines to include in our show.

Set and Craft

It’s not all about performance!

Most weeks the children will produce some form of craft. These may be props, backdrops for our set, masks or costumes for our show. Some crafts will be quick and simple, others may take the form of a project and be produced over a few weeks and the children can take home many of the lovely things they have created after their performance. All the crafts are included in the cost of the group.

Technical

The technicians of a show are just as important as the performers! So, we will also explore other ways of telling our story to the audience.

Performance

The groups emphasis is on ensemble performance and the children learn to work as a team. We want every child to feel valued and where possible, we want to encourage them to try new things to gain confidence.

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For more information about how to run an after school performance club at your school, please click here.

"The girls had an amazing time at PlayMakers with Amanda and Miles. They are already looking forward to next week"

Parent

"The show was amazing, everyone did so well. Brilliant job. Thanks so much to you!"

Parent

"I'm still in awe of them all, they did such a great job!! Thankyou for all your hard work."

Parent 

Dragon puppets on a window ledge
Amanda Kane-Smith on stage rehersing with children
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